


Hug It Out

by DaKhari



Category: Glee
Genre: Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-02
Updated: 2020-09-18
Packaged: 2021-03-07 00:06:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 17,079
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26237599
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DaKhari/pseuds/DaKhari
Summary: I'm sure I'm not the only one that's ever got in their feels at the hugs shared between Samcedes, this fic brings them to life again with a bit of a twist of course, the only thing that connects the stories is somewhere in there, there are Samcedes hug - The clues to which are in the titles
Relationships: Blaine Anderson/Kurt Hummel, Mike Chang/Tina Cohen-Chang, Quinn Fabray/Finn Hudson, Rachel Berry/Brody Weston, Sam Evans/Mercedes Jones, Santana Lopez/Brittany S. Pierce
Kudos: 3





	1. 1. The Prom-pt

**1\. The Prom-pt**

Rachel and Brody had been married for seven years, they'd moved to New York just a year into their marriage, both of them ready to get serous about their music, they'd worked at the same club for the past five years, Brody was a brilliant musician and Rachel sang to his tunes.

Rachel had grew up on California and had a group of friends that had over their teenage years become her ride or die crew, she'd met Brody while she was in college they gelled instantly, she was super scared to bring him home to meet the crew, they could be a harsh lot, but against the odds she'd given herself, he'd won them over

Her best friend Sam, who she'd thought would be the worst, turned out to be on her side first, he'd taken Brody under his wing and helped her to settle him in. They'd spent that summer getting to know each other as a crew and by the end of summer he was in for life, she went back to college on cloud nine, they'd had some disruption in their relationship during college, but by that last year they'd found their way back to each other and then stuck like glue.

They finished college and against his parents advice he asked for her hand in marriage, they got married that summer, his parents didn't attend, but they weren't missed if truth be told, they had the best day ever. Two days later they were on their way to New York for Brody's audition for a Broadway show, they got there to find they could audition together, they quickly put something together, she was always prepared, Brody killed the music while Rachel killed the lyrics on **'Moon River' by Mary Nelson** of course they got the gig, and suddenly it wasn't too hard to talk her into moving to New York after all. So just before their first year anniversary they'd moved found an apartment and started a new life, with no view of returning to California. Life in New York proved harder than they'd expected, the savings soon went on rent when work dried up within three months of the show ending, they fought daily to find themselves another gig but they eventually lost their up town apartment, ending up in a smaller second floor brownstone apartment.

Seven months into unemployment, they were out one Saturday night drowning their sorrows, feeling sorry for themselves when Rachel took to the empty stage, Brody grabbed his drink and took to the piano, they sat wallowing, entertaining the few punters, they left there that night having bagged themselves a regular weekly spot at the club. Life was sort of back to normality, they were gradually building their life back, two years in just as they started to see that light, Rachel announced she was pregnant, life quickly changed for the better, there was a new light at the end for them, eight months later their daughter Kayleen came into the world, they wanted to shout it from the rooftops, but all they could do was share garden pictures of the little dark haired pale skinned rosy cheeked girl, that had become their light. They'd hidden their demise from all their family and friends for so long now, the lies came naturally, along with the excuses 

Just after Kayleen's fourth birthday Brody started complaining of headaches, he'd refused to go to the doctors because he wouldn't miss work, so he was taking pain killers in threes for the pain

"Somethings wrong Brody, we need to see a doctor" Rachel shouted at him, watching him throwing up in the sink "It could be serious"

"I'm just stressed" he fanned her off "I can't see us go back to how we were before Kay, I just can't"

"Please Brody for me, just see them, you don't have to do what they say"

"I'm fine"

So they lived with it for a few more months, it all happened so quickly, by the time she could think about it he was forgetting stuff, shouting a lot, having incohesive conversation, she finally drew the line when he collapsed in a heap on the kitchen floor while he was playing with Kay, she called an ambulance before he got back to himself. She sat as his bedside while the doctor informed them that Brody had a mass on his brain, they'd have to do tests before they could come up with anything firm, but they were to prepare for the worst

She was on the phone to her friends back in California letting them know what was happening, she knew Brady didn't like them knowing they weren't coping and she wasn't telling them any of that, she just needed to vent and get some support from real friends. Of course everyone was in shock, especially her parents who demanded they come straight home, so they could be cared for and supported through all of it, Rachel didn't need asking twice, she knew without his income they'd hit bottom fast.

The results came back within twenty four hours, the words Glioblastoma multiforme bouncing around their minds everything else paled into non-existence "What do you mean?" Brody finally asked gripping Rachel's hand, both of them trying to compose themselves with Kay in the room "I don't understand what you mean"

"We can wait, if you need time to digest Mr and Mrs Weston" The surgeon told them

"No, I want to hear it all now" Brody told them banging the bed

"Brody" Rachel gasped, she was still in shock, but she wasn't going to be rude about this

"This is the most aggressive and usually hard to treat, even with surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation treatment, we might still be looking at 10 months or just a bit more" he told them

"Are you saying he's going to …" Rachel couldn't help it, she burst out crying "Can he travel?" her head popped up asking

"Travel?" the surgeon and Brody asked at the same time

"We need to get home..."

"Oh yes" the doctor told her

"I mean to California, where we came from, can he travel?"

"If he does it as soon as possible"

"Okay" she smiled squeezing Brody's hand "We'll get you home, there are people to help us" she burst out crying again squeezing Kay this time "What are we going to do?"

"We'll figure it out" Brody told her, it really hadn't hit him yet

Three days later they'd got back their deposit on the apartment, packed everything they could in cases, packed a removal van to get some things across land and got their flight back to California. Everything was as they'd expected except quieter, all their friends had moved on, visited for holidays and sometimes special occasions, there was nothing to do in the old town anymore, her parents came to collect them from the airport and Brody was put to bed, they were going to see specialists in the morning.

The second opinion confirmed the first, voicing their surprise at the rapid growth of the tumour in a week, that really wasn't what they wanted to hear, but it was what they got, life quickly became centred around hospital visits, sick buckets with very few smiles. It was subtle but Brody adjusted well to the situation, in fact he spent the time he wasn't being ill or taking treatment to make sure Rachel and Kay were alright

"Hey" he held his hand out for his wife to grab and pulled her to sit on the bed "I want you to carry on with your life, don't waste it, find someone else and love them like you love me"

"I can't do that" she pulled away from him

"Rachel" he called stopping her from walking away "I love you, you know that right?"

"And I love you" she turned to tell him "I'll never love anyone else the way I love you"

"Almost then" he laughed

"I'll try" she smiled

That was the last time she saw him smile with his mouth, his eyes were always smiling at them, three weeks later he wasn't talking and then one morning just six months after he was first diagnosed he was gone. Every emotion came out of her that morning, she knew it was coming, she thought she was prepared all cried out even, but there was so much more left in her, she was in physical pain, she couldn't think of anyone else she wanted around, she called Sam, her best friend from school

"Sam" she cried down the phone "He's gone" she sobbed

"I'm sorry Rachel, when?"

"This morning, I need my best friend" she wiped her tears "Can you come?"

"I'll be there tonight"

"Just come round, I don't care what time it is, just come"

"Okay" he told her closing the call

She smiled for the first time, he always knew exactly what to say to calm her down, she felt that calmness just knowing he was going to drop everything and come to support her, maybe he'd stay, for a while anyway, she could really do with a friend 

She sat looking at old photos for most the afternoon, there were some family friends come to visit in the evening, she didn't know them, and then Mr & Mrs Weston turned up "I called them" her Mother told her as she went to the door to protest "Brody asked me to"

"He did?" Rachel asked shocked 

"We had to honour his last request" her Dad came up behind them "Come on in" and just like that, they were in, introducing themselves to Kayleen as if nothing had happened between the last time they'd seen their son and now, she knew her parents she bit her tongue 

Sam turned up at around 11pm that evening, the knock on the door bringing excitement, he could hear Rachel screaming, he laughed at her still being that girl when the door flew open "Sam" he screamed diving into his chest, attempting to grab him with both hands "Oh" she looked up to see what was obstructing her

"Rachel, this is Mercy my fiancée" he smiled with his arm hugging the women to him, Rachel stood attached to his chest looking at the woman 

"Pleased to meet you" Mercy smiled offering her hand

"Likewise" she grabbed her hand smiling 


	2. The First One

**The First One**

It was that time in their lives again, Sam had been on the road for nearly seven weeks, they were used to it now this had been the third year he'd done the winter Olympics and his team had got some great publicity from it, not that they needed it, they'd gone big league about five years ago and were confident in their place on the league tables. The kids they trained were enthusiastic about the game, keen to learn and even more so, to win, there were four teams, two coaches to each team and after the first three weeks of training the competition started, he'd won the last two years and was keen to make it a triathlon.

His head was firmly on the game but his mind was on his wife, she hadn't taken this trip too well, his phone had been off the hook the past three nights, she didn't actually cry, but she was getting close, he couldn't make out what it was about and couldn't get any privacy enough to ask the right questions

"So what are you saying?" he asked concerned that she was asking about time out, changing focus

"I don't know what I'm saying, God Sam, you should be hearing me" she huffed

He rolled his eyes at this conversation that wasn't happening, she was leaving the bomb out, but what was the bomb "Mercy I hear you talking but I don't.."

"Forget it, maybe it can't be said over the phone"

"Has something happened babe?"

"It's all come out wrong, forget it" she giggled "How was today, did you win?"

"Of course we won" he laughed, their conversation still on his mind "Don't I always?"

"I'm not even surprised" she giggled

"Did you finish the chorus?"

"Sort of" she giggled

"Let's hear it then" he sat on the wall outside the dormitory

"Okay" she giggled "Be honest" she told him singing the third version of the chorus to her new song **'No Options' by Justine Skye**

_Settle down now, little loud now, shaking tables, I won't wild out like a child now but I'm able_   
_Eyes wide like a fiend, making a scene, now you're friends gonna see what I mean_

_You got me sick, you're so toxic, our love blew up, catastrophic_   
_I feel like we have no options, want something real but it's not this_

"So" she chuckled "What did you think?"

"It's sad" they stood listening to the silence "But good, I like it, you're right, you can't always sing about being in love"

"Hurry up home"

"Two days" he liked this conversation, it was a bit up and down but it had been a lot calmer then yesterdays "I love you"

"I love you back, just hurry home"

Mercy would have said the days went slow, but Sam was home in no time, he jumped off the coach, made sure all the parents had turned up for their children before dropping his bag in the trunk and setting off for home. Happy but scared for what this conversation she couldn't have over the phone was going to reveal, he got on the drive and rolled his eyes at seeing Finn's car on the drive, he was an alright guy, they got on, but sometimes he felt like the man thought Mercy was with him. He'd had to deal with his jealous feelings over time, the man was his wife's best friend, but he was pissed that he'd have to live through their insignificant drama before he could hear anything about his own life.

"Hi" he opened the door and dropped his bag "I'm home" he smiled his eyes searching the room for Mercy

"Hi" Finn jumped up "She's in the kitchen doing us something to eat"

"You alright?" Sam asked him giving him a hug, wondering why this dick had chosen today to come visit knowing he'd been away for a while, he was sure he'd seen a smirk on the chumps face

"Fine, you?"

"Yeah" he smiled looking over Finn's shoulder at Quinn sat smiling "Quinn" he went over for a hug "I'm exhausted" he sat in the vacant chair, Quinn and Finn were sprawled across the couch "Babe" his eyes lit up at her coming through the door, jumping up to grab one of the plates in her hand and kissing her lips quickly "Missed you" he put the plate on the coffee table

"Missed you too" she smiled

"So" Finn's voice echoed in the silence "I was telling you about the classic mustang that came into the garage the other day"

"Oh yeah" Mercy sat in the other chair tucking the feet up under her ready for the story, Sam shook his head, if there was ever one thing Mercy wasn't interested in it was cars, as long as it got her around, she didn't give a shit about what it dragged, dropped or drank. They sat listening to Finn's cars, Quinn's book and then Finn's cars stories again before the food finished,

"I guess we should let you two get a minute" Quinn looked at her husband, telling him

"Yeah, I've been away the whole of winter" Sam told him, it was clear Finn wasn't listening to Quinn

"Backed up?" Finn asked laughing, finding the situation funny, Mercy looked at Sam, he wasn't smiling, and she really wasn't impressed with Finn at that comment

"Am I fucking backed up" Sam smirked, sarcasm in his voice

"Sam" Mercy looked at him disapprovingly

"What?" he asked "He started it"

"Play nice" she begged him, looking at Finn "You're worse than him" she told Finn

"Come on it's time for us to go home" Quinn saw the opportunity to break things up before they got serious

"We'll pass by tomorrow" Finn got up announcing

"You won't" Mercy told him "I mean it, you won't" she got up to see them out, Sam following

They stood at the door for the usual ten minutes having conversations that seemed like part of their leaving routine, before Quinn finally dragged Finn off to the car. They stood watching the car get small, until he was confident they weren't coming back "He's such a dick" he flung his arm around Mercy's waist

"Maybe but he's our dick" she laughed

"I hope not" he looked at her

"Don't be so nasty" she grabbed his hand and walked back into the house

"I just want to do it, fuck talking about it, it's been seven long weeks, I really am backed up" he grabbed her waist pushing her off towards the bedroom "You got the bowl ready" he laughed seeing it sitting on the side table next to their bed, with lots of screwed up paper "Great minds" he dipped in to get started "Legs in the air" he smiled, backing her across the room onto the bed "Ready?" he laughed, they were wrapped up in each other for the rest of the night

Sam was woken the next morning by Mercy sat on the piano singing a familiar song, he grabbed his shorts and went to listen, he stood at the door watching her singing

_Whoever said I need a halo, to make it out alive, don't think I'll ever be an angel_   
_I'm floating in the sky, I might have never been this high, paradise ain't for, when you got someone who lights your dark_

_You make me feel like heaven all the time, **Both:** All the time, all the time, all the time, yeah..._ **'Heaven' by Justine Skye**

"You woke up" she stopped singing, chuckling at hearing his voice join hers "I should have told you last night"

"Where did that old gem come from? he laughed "Hold up, told me what?" he leaned up off the door frame

"We're pregnant" her face broke into a smile, watching him rush across the room to scrape her into his arms, hugging her tight, her arms wrapped around his neck "I guess you're happy?"

"Ecstatic" he let her go "We've been trying for over year" he giggled "Fuck Mercy, we did it" he punched the air "We fucking did it"


	3. She Bites

**She Bites**

Sam and Mercy just booked into the hotel, it was the middle of the night and they were tired, they'd left Washington straight after Sam's concert and took a flight to Miami for his two night gig. They'd had fun this time around, there'd been a competition prior to the tour which meant three lucky fans won tickets to every concert along the way, they'd met some crazy people but it was all fun.

_**Flashback** _

Sam and Mercy had been together for just over a year, it was a whirlwind romance, they'd met in an STI clinic, he'd been careless the week before and was nursing an itch that was alien to him, while he was in California he stopped off to get it checked out, he didn't know anyone there and thought it was safe enough not to get his name on national TV.

"I'd like a check please" he walked in smiling with embarrassment at the receptionist

"Fill this out, take a seat over there and someone will call this number" the girl threw a card in his hand, swiftly moving on to the next customer

He sat down to fill it in, realising he didn't want to give any details "Sorry" he smiled when he finally stood in front of the receptionist again "I'm not comfortable filing some of this in, can they not just see me?"

"Just put your contact number down" she smiled at him

"And that would be enough?"

"I'll find the rest out when I call you" she smiled, watching him write his number down before snatching the board off him "Thank you" she nodded at the seating 

He sat waiting, struggling for something to do he checked his messages, played some random games, listened to some music and even took a bathroom break before his number was called. He made his way to cubicle eight as instructed "Hi" he smiled catching his breath at the woman stood in front of him "Are you doing the test?" he asked embarrassed

"Yeah, problem?" she smiled "Just to confirm, name and date of birth please?" she chose to ignore his look

"Sam Evans 18th July 1996" he smiled back

"Well Sam Evans, you have an itch" she looked at him "You know the drill, pop your pants off and jump on" she pointed at the bench 

"I don't actually, this is the first visit, I can't believe I've been so stupid"

"Okay" she smiled, her tone more sympathetic, she stood walking him through everything she was doing, while he felt the need to tell her how he came to be in this predicament. "It's done" she smiled at him

"Already?" he looked down at himself still in tact "I thought it was really going to hurt"

"I was only looking, plus you kept yourself occupied, and me with your story" she laughed, moving away, signalling for him get up

"I feel like I'm at a disadvantage here" he laughed, buttoning his trousers "You know a lot of personal stuff about me and I don't even know your name"

"Mercy" she giggled "My name's Mercy and an STI check is maybe as personal as you can get" she looked at him "There is a bit of discharge that suggests something, we'll know more when the blood results come in" she pointed to the chair "Roll your sleeve up"

"Needles" he gasped "I don't do well with needles"

"We could go the old route" she picked up a very invasive tool to show him 

"No" his eyes widened "I'll go with the needle" his face making her laugh, as she put he elastic band around his upper arm 

"Clench your fist" she ordered "I'll be gentle" she stood asking him questions, his head turning away as he saw the needle coming towards him, he felt her pull his arm down as she spoke to him answering as he waited tensely for the needle to enter his skin "All done" she put cotton wool on the wound and bent his arm back up 

"It that it?" he looked round surprised 

"That's it, you'll know in about a..." 

"A week I read, is that accurate?"

"Very"

"So.... I just happen to have a week to spare" he walked over to the sink to wash his hands "Can you suggest anywhere half decent to stay?"

"The Crown, it's in the middle of town, night life, bars, everything on the doorstep, popular with young people"

"I was thinking something more hidden, quiet, cosy" he laughed

"The lodge?" she looked at him "Have you been around here before?"

"No" he laughed "I've been on the road for nearly three months, fans shouting, music blasting, people shouting orders, I just want everything to stop for a bit you know, set myself straight again, why would you ask that?"

"I know the people at the lodge, they have rooms, actually it's empty, might be just the right pace for you" she smiled "Home cooking too"

"Sounds like my kind of place"

"If you hang around for an hour or so, I'll take you there"

"I'm hanging" he smiled "Thank you" he looked back at her before closing the door after him 

The Lodge was where Mercy lived with her Grandma, a very active 75 year old, with a social life that was much more interesting than her Granddaughters. They days he spent basking in the silence afforded by Mercy being at work and her Grandmother being a socialite, in the evenings he found himself entertaining himself most of the time, but Mercy's presence was very welcoming when she finally got home, slowly they became friends. There was no way he was going to make a move on her, while he was waiting for results from a suspected STI, but after his results came back clear on night eight they became more than friends, she brought his anti-fungal cream home with her as a celebration present.

One thing he knew, is that she wasn't happy in her job, she wanted excitement and her Grandmother wanted that for her too, so it was no surprise when he asked her to go on the road with him, to keep him on the straight and narrow of course. It wasn't long before the friendship turned to lust, she was possessive as hell about him, and he liked it, once she opened up to him she was like a drug, they quickly fell in love, she became his personal groupie and for the last eleven months they hadn't been separated.

_**End Of Flashback** _

Tonight was a bit different, she was meeting one of his friends for the first time, she was excited to get to know a bit more about him, they'd lived in their own little bubble all this time. Apparently it was a school friend, he'd explained he'd been more around her older brother, but she was always hanging around enough for them to have become friends, she was dying to meet this girl Brittany, she needed to know if she was a friend or something else

"Sleep" she stepped out of her trousers and fell on the bed exhausted, Sam laughed threw the bags on the floor where he stood, and dived on the bed with her, _**'I'm so tired, yeah, I'm so tired, yeah, I'm so tired, yeah, I'm so tired'**_ he hummed her favourite song until they fell asleep fully dressed not waking up until the next morning ' **Tired' by Cody Lovaas**

"Morning" she woke up with a smile "Your friends are coming today"

"Yeah" he smiled "Morning" he kissed her nose "Hey" he pulled her back "You were tired last night, not this morning" his lips covered her, pulling her into him "You didn't think you were going to get away that easy did you?" his hand removed the rest of her clothes while his lips did the begging. The day was usual, sound testing, backing tracks, band practice, vocalists and food, she knew the routine and got on with it, this was one of the bigger shows so there were a lot more people back stage, more lighting, security, seats, everything. They sat looking out at the empty stadium, wrapped in each other having their moment before the show "Okay" he finally jumped up ready for the hype

"Hey" she got up to look into his eyes "You've got this" she kissed him quickly "And I love you"

"I love you back and don't go far" he kissed her back before letting her go

The first half had gone well the crowd was warm and he was hyped, his voice could hardly be heard above the screams every time he started a new song, the crowd were singing more than him he was in a zone. He ran side stage and grabbed Mercy swinging her round, he had the strength of a hundred men right now he was so high "Sing that song for me" she shouted at him as he walked back on stage, he pointed at her and strummed his guitar

"Everyone in here is singing this for you" he pointed at her 

_....And I say, and I say more than I do, yeah I learn in my head but my feet still don't move,_

_but can I look, give me a break, there's the same look on every face, cause we all want change but don't want to be no part two_

_I'm so tired, yeah, I'm so tired, yeah, I'm so tired, yeah, I'm so tired...._

He was taken aback by some girl running onto the stage and throwing her arms around his neck swinging on him like he was a branch, it had happened before, and while he was free and single he didn't give a shit, but Mercy was standing on the other side of the stage and she was fuming nearly as much as him. He looked at the guard stood there watching, his eyes telling him to sort this bitch out "Who the fuck is she, how did she get up here?" he asked the guard as he came close, the crowd cheering so hard they couldn't hear a word he was saying

"She said she was a friend" he told him "She's got a pass" he needed to finish the show, but his vibe had gone, wiped out at the thought of spending he rest of the night arguing about what had just happened. It was inevitable, he knew that because he would be thinking the same thing had the shoe been on the other foot, the last song came, by which Mercy had already walked out

He quickly put his guitar down and made to go find her "Sam" someone grabbed his attention as he walked past them "It's me" she waved he looked smiling at seeing Brittany stood there

"Britt" he laughed walking back to her "Great you could come"

"Sorry about earlier, that was my girlfriend Santana"

"Why did she come running out on stage like that?"

"Excitement I guess" she laughed

"That wasn't cool" Sam huffed "Not impressed Britt"

"Go get changed lets hang out" she laughed

"Back I bit" he waved walking off, Mercy was in his changing room waiting "Mercy" he opened the door to find an empty room "Puck" he turned to his guard "Where is she?"

"She told me to get the fuck out her way and left" he told him

"Fuck" he dragged his top off and put a dry one on, rushing out to go find her in the strange town "Where did she go?" he asked the guard standing at the gate, he pointed left and Sam just moved

"Sam" Brittany shouted after him

"Sorry Britt, I'll call" he ran off

"You finally realised I was gone then?" Mercy's voice startled him as he rushed past she narrow, dark passage beside the venue 

"Why the fuck did you do that?" he stopped, grabbing hold of her as he spoke, his arms squeezing her so hard she thought she was taking her last breath "Don't fucking scare me like that" he rested his head on top of hers "Apparently she'd Brittany's girlfriend"

"Well I don't want to meet her" she looked up at him "I don't want to meet any of them"

"Sam" their heads turned at the voice, Brittany was stood watching them

"And who the Fu..."

"Mercy please" he begged, he turned to have a conversation with his friend "This is Mercy, my girlfriend" he looked at her not paying any attention to what was going on "Can we do this back at the hotel, too many people" he looked around, she didn't say anything, she stood watching Sam invite them, wondering if he'd thought she was joking when she said she didn't want to know, he grabbed her hand dragging her resisting body the short walk to their hotel, up in the escalator and into their room, everyone silent "How about we all start again?" Sam opened the door to let them all in 

"Mercy" Santana looked at her "I'm really sorry about jumping out on her guy like that, I was just so excited for meeting him" she stood watching Sam whispering into Mercy's ear 

"Please Mercy" Sam begged 

"I'll let this one go, because Sam asked, but for future reference, this bitch bites" she snapped at her "So please" she warned "Don't let that shit happen again"

"I won't" Santana held her hands up "Friends?"

"Nearly" Mercy giggled hugging Sam as they laughed


	4. Extension Classes

**Extension Classes**

"T" Sam called down the phone when she answered "Is Mercy with you?"

"No I haven't seen her today" Tina giggled "What you stressing about Evans?"

"I'm not it's just she's been gone for like four hours and I can't reach her" he huffed "I'm worried"

"She can look after herself"

"I know that, but I can still worry can't I?"

"I'd be worried if you weren't" she laughed

"Oh, I think she's home, bye" the phone went died before Tina could say anything else "Hey" he smiled at her walking through the door "I was starting to worry"

"I'm fine" she giggled walking over to him sat on the couch "Bushed" she dropped her bag at the side of the couch and kicked her shoes off, just about pecking his lips while she fought with her left arm to get her jacket off "I'm exhausted, I might just jump in the bath and get to bed"

"Not hungry?"

"No I ate on the move again" she smiled "Goodnight" she grabbed his straying hand that was attempting to grab her ass

"Goodnight" he sat watching her walk across the room and into their bedroom

This was the third night running she'd dismissed his advances, his mind was trying to take him there, it was on the tip of his tongue to call her out on where she'd been, everyone knew extension classes finished at 8pm so where she was until after midnight for the second Wednesday running was anyone's guess. Their relationship had never needed to go to that place, they trusted each other, so, even though everything was telling him to ask, to ask would be destroying the trust they'd worked so hard to build between them.

If he didn't know anything else he knew he was going to be the happiest man in the world in three months time when these damn classes ended, he sat wondering what excuse she was going to use then, if his mind wasn't playing tricks on him. By the time he'd straightened up, put her shoes and stuff away, threw her dinner in the bin, and got to the bedroom she was more than fast asleep, he rolled his eyes and jumped in the shower. He was last to bed but first up the next morning, breakfast was on the go, the coffee aroma around the house telling them it was a great day and he sat strumming his guitar trying to get another song down.

Mercy woke up to his voice, she lay listening to him singing, she loved this man, do anything for him, just like she knew he would for her. She knew he was getting suspicious about what she was doing at night, but right now she could take it, because everything would be worth it in the end. She got up humming along to his melody as she made her way through to where he was 

**_Can we cut to the chase here, cause we've both been there before, where do you wanna take it, I can deal with the tension_ **   
**_Enough with the maybes, say the word, I'll be at your door, pretty sure you could save me, did I forget not to mention, I'm okay but afraid I might fade away_ **   
**_And you'll stay if I say that I'll never change, but I'll be calling you mine by the end of the night…._ **

He looked up at the opening door "Morning" he smiled "I made breakfast"

"Morning" she walked towards him "New song?" she kissed him

"Just started it" he grabbed her waist as she walked past him "You haven't let me touch you for days, what's up?"

"Nothing" she smiled bending to kiss him "Well maybe it is something, but I'm dealing with it"

"And you don't want to talk about it?"

"Not yet" she kissed him and walked across to the kitchen

"Just eggs and bacon, your favourite" he got up to fetch it 

"You treat me too good sometimes, I promise things will slow down soon"

"Is it work?" he put the plate in front of her 

They ate chatting about everything and nothing, Mercy quickly got ready for work, it was as if everything was alright between them, but right now he couldn't figure her out. She worked at a Solicitors office while he was a budding musician, he had no hit song or label, not even a decent guitar to sound a note out on, but she believed in him and that was enough for him to believe he could do it too.

He sat scanning through the papers looking for more auditions, his attention was drawn when she walked across the room in her grey pinstriped trouser suit, blouse buttoned down revealing too much cleavage for a woman walking the streets alone, heels sharp enough to stab a man if he even tried, hair up, neat, make up immaculate and nails a modest chocolate brown to suit the tones on her skin "Eatable" he smiled

"Only by you" she threw back, he was glad to hear it, but his reaction wouldn't have told her that

"Have a good day babe" he leaned up to kiss her

"And you have a productive day" she smiled "Oh" she stopped at the door "I'm going to be a bit late home tonight"

"Again?" he got up to walk towards her

"Three hours tops" she smiled grabbing his neck as he got to her "I promise everything will be back to normal tonight" she kissed him and let him go quickly

"Bye" he stood at the door watching her walk away, it felt so final his heart hurt, he still didn't know what she was up to, didn't even want to ask, wondering if he'd ever want to know, as long as she was coming back to him, did it even matter, he was sure the alternative would kill him. He'd been laying around the house for nearly three weeks now, after messing up, what he thought was, an important audition for a role in a musical. Another one had come up just a few days later and Mercy had talked it up, telling him he'd got a chance, making him believe it and he went for it, sent his details in and got himself an audition, he was dreading it, two weeks in he still couldn't find the perfect song for it 

The audition was in three days time, he needed to et something prepared, he grabbed his guitar, tuned it up and went back to finish his song 

**_I can't pretend you're all there is, the old me is one that I'd like to forget, will you hold me now before I talk you out of it?_ _Oh darlin', I won't go til you're gone again_ **   
**_We both know what would happen, t_ _he second it all gets too loud,_ _I'll leave you like a habit,_ _I won't be around but my heart, you can't have it_ **   
**_Cos real love's something made up, t_ _hat we won't ever get enough of, y_ _ou'll get lost in my daydream, j_ _ust let me know when you wake up_ **   
**_I'm okay but afraid I might fade away, a_ _nd you'll stay if I say that I'll never change, a_ _nd all my friends might be right but at least I should try_ **

The night drew in quickly and suddenly he was there again, back in that place wondering where the hell his girl was, he wasn't calling T tonight, that just felt so desperate. He'd opted on waiting until she got home tonight before doing them something to eat, in all honesty he was seriously backed up and he could do with a sounding board for his new song, so he was hoping she wasn't too tired.

She came back more than three hours late, smiling as she walked through the door "I have an announcement" her head came around the door "Close your eyes" she stood waiting for him to do as told "So I know you have that audition coming up and well.." she walked towards him

"What you don't think it's a good idea?" he asked sitting forward in the couch

"On the contrary" she smiled "Open your eyes" she stood in front of him showing him a brand new guitar case "I didn't want it to let you down, so I got this made for you"

"Mercy" he gasped, looking at her "It's.." he looked at the case 

"Look at it then" she shoved in in front of his face, giggling he was stunned into silence 

"How did you afford this" he took the brand spanking new Yamaha out the case 

"I got promoted" she giggled "And the first person I wanted to spend it on was you"

"Thanks babe, I don't know what to say" he got up 

"You said it already" she smiled "But you can say it again after dinner, I'm starving" she looked at the kitchen

"Sorry babe, I didn't do anything, after last night....I'll order something" he took his phone out and made their pizza order 

"I had to go clear across California to get it made, do you like it?" 

"Do I like it?" he laughed grabbing the instrument "I love it thank you" his spare arm grabbed hold of her hugging her to him 

"I figured if your going to be a star by Christmas you'd need to at least look the part" she giggled

"Best present ever" he hugged her

"So lets hear this song then" she pulled away and grabbed his cheeks "It's got to be perfect because this part has your damn name all over it"

"Okay" he sat back down to play her the song, Mercy sitting next to him 

_**.....I can't pretend you're all there is, the old me is one that I'd like to forget, will you hold me now before I talk you out of it?**  
 **Oh darlin', I won't go till you're gone again, oh darlin', I won't go till you're gone again**  
 **You're gone again, you're gone again, are you gone? You're gone again, you're gone again, are you gone? '** _ **Gone Again' by Kevin Garrett** _  
_

"And then I don't know from there" he stopped abruptly

"Just sing the chorus over again, two verses are enough, you have been busy"

"Stressing about you and what was going on with you, I was worried"

"Well now you can worry about those other fools that you are going to wipe the floor with, because you've got this"


	5. Colour Blind

**Colour Blind**

"Are you sure?" Mercy asked, her phone on loud speaker while she walked around packing her case 

"Of course I'm sure, we can get a break afterwards maybe travel a bit further north"

"I've never been to West Virginia before, it might be fun"

"Me neither" he laughed

He was on his first world tour, lonely and horney, so after three months, he'd broke and asked her to take time out to be with him, she'd taken some convincing but eventually she took some time out from her magazine to go along with him, after all eleven months was much too long to be alone out there. They was just six months into things, and already it was taking it's toll, he was constantly tired, Mercy's mood had worryingly changed, she wasn't dealing with the groupie life very well, a combination of guilt and concern leading Sam to make the decision to send her back home to California, dressing it up as spending some time with her Mom, in the hope of her at least getting some chill time. She'd agreed to a month, but that miss you bell was ringing in their heads, he came back to the states and finally she got to meet back up with him in West Virginia, she didn't really care if she was ready or not, seeing someone, especially someone you love, every day for eight years and then not at all was hard

"So I'll meet you at the hotel?"

"Yeah, I've booked your ticket so be at the airport in an hour, and I'll see you in about eight hours"

"Can't wait" she giggled

Even after eight years together, six of those married, they were still the centre of each others universe, life had been good to them, Mercy had became financially stable almost straight out of college, it was a sad but exciting time. Her Dad had been ill for a while, he hadn't said anything to the family until he knew he'd explored every avenue in getting a cure for the cancer that had taken over his blood. Apparently after he'd passed they learned he'd been fighting the disease for nearly three years, pumping a lot of money into research himself to try and stay with his family.

The day he told them was sad, Mercy had cried with anger for hours on Sam's bed, everyone was her enemy, and she wouldn't let him touch her for comfort, he slept on the couch that night his eyes finally closing at the steady flow of her whimpering. The next morning he woke up and she was laying beside him, he hadn't even felt her climb on the couch, she must have heard him move and whispered a sorry, he didn't know what for and he didn't want to asked, he hugged her and fell asleep again and they never talked about her Dad again until the day of the funeral.

It was a morning funeral and by the afternoon the solicitor was on the phone to her Mom talking about reading the will, it was the last thing on everyone's mind but her Aunt Patty convinced her Mom to go, so they went. She came back blown away "He's given everything except the house to me" she sat telling him, unsure if she believed it herself

"What everything?" Sam asked knowing she was talking about the Magazine, the family's holiday home and a shit load of money

"You can go to college Sam, finish your music, whatever you want" she smiled at him

"Mercy this isn't about me" he looked at her "Listen to what you just told me, you've got everything" he laughed "Take some time to sink that in" he got up to leave her alone

"Sam" she called after him "I can take all the time you need me to take, but in whatever decision I make, you're there" she held her hand out for him to grab "You're my husband"

"I know but..." his words stopped by her finger across his lips, and that was their start, whatever he needed she gave it to him and whatever she needed he'd give it to her, now four years on, they were on almost a level pegging financially, he was making his way in the world of music and she'd moved the business away from hard copy magazine's and onto the world wide web

Eight hours later Mercy was standing in the lobby of their hotel in West Virginia "Sam what room is it?" she asked when he picked up

"516" he told her

"I'm in room 516" she told the porter

"Excuse me Miss" the Light skinned black receptionist called to her

"Yes" Mercy walked towards her smiling

"I'm afraid" she looked around embarrassed "You can't stay here Miss"

"I am staying here, my husbands upstairs" she laughed

"No Mam, there are no...… blacks here Miss"

"What?" she laughed, upset and anger bursting out of her at the same time "You're here" she snapped at the girl

"Sorry Mam but I'm doing my job"

"So you can work here but you can't stay here?"

"Correct Mam" the girl looked around to see who was watching

"This is the 21st fucking century are you for real?" she asked the girl stood in front of her, looking ashamed at the conversation now

"It's the rules Miss"

Mercy took her phone out and called Sam to let him know what was happening "What?" he shouted "Hold on" he told her appearing minutes later with his bags "I'm checking out, and I won't be paying for any of that shit you sent upstairs" he grabbed Mercy's hand and walked out "How fucking dare they" he hissed as they stood waiting for a cab "Why aren't they stopping?" he snapped after the third cab drove past them

"It's because I'm black" Mercy told him

"Don't be ridiculous, it's the 21st century" he laughed

"Not in this little town it isn't" she looked at him getting mad "Sam" she called pulling his top "It's because I'm black"

"How is this happening, aren't there laws against this shit?"

"Not here" she smiled, "It's no biggie"

"No biggie?" he huffed "This is racism in the purest fucking form I've ever seen it, of course it's a biggie, I'm cancelling the show"

"If you went around cancelling shit, every time one of those bigots got to you, you'd do nothing, just what they want you to do, do the show Sam, make a statement out there if that's what you want, but don't be spiteful to yourself because of them"

"Not because of them Mercy, because of you, you're my wife" he grabbed her hand "I swear, I would never have brought you here if I'd known these people" he looked around the busy street "You know what, I'm glad I don't know them, I think that would have been worse"

"I'll get us a cab" she waved her hand and watched a car spin around from the other side of the road to pick them up, she made sure Sam got in first

"Ain't seen you round these parts before" the driver looked in his rear view at her

"We need a hotel, anywhere" Mercy told him

"Turning tricks you can do that..." he looked around "Across there fifty bucks for half hour

"He ain't no trick, he's my fucking husband" Mercy told him

"Seriously?" the drivers eyes widened "You need an out of town motel, if you want to stay alive through the night"

"Stay alive" Mercy gasped 

"Where the fuck are we?" he asked Mercy "I'm so angry, sorry, and ashamed about this"

"So you want to go where?" the driver asked 

"Motel then" Sam told him, they sat in silence the whole journey, Sam trying to get his head around what just happened and Mercy giving him the time to step into her real life for a hot minute "Sorry isn't enough" he looked at her, calling his agent "Will" he frowned 

"Sam, how's things?"

"Not good" he looked at Mercy "I just got here, booked into the hotel you booked and booked out, I'm not paying for it, not a penny"

"It had five stars" Will told him 

"Five stars and no black people, sad move dude"

"What?" Will gasped "Is Mercy with you?"

"Yes and at 9pm we're driving around trying to find a fucking motel that will accommodate our relationship, how the fuck do you think we feel right now?"

"I'm really sorry Mercy, Sam, I didn't think to even check that out"

"So here's the deal, one show, so get the rest cancelled, I can't perform my best for these people, I'm going out there half a man for fuck sake"

"Sam" Will tried to calm him down "You can't just cancel the damn show"

"Watch me, I'm doing this one because Mercy asked me to and we're here, but we're leaving as soon as the show, or whatever this is going to be, finishes" They finally found a motel to stay in, neither of them in the mood to use the night, between Sam's ranting and Mercy's screwed up face as the situation played out on repeat in her head, until their eyes closed 

The next day they stayed in the hotel the whole day Sam going out only to buy food for them "Just go alone" Mercy shouted at him, fed up of him bugging her to go to the venue with him 

"Look how they've got you acting?" he hissed at her "We can't hide, they'll have won"

"Do you even know how many of them think that way out there?"

"No, but I'm not ashamed of us babe"

"Neither am I Sam, shame isn't what this is about" she got up to get to him "That drive actually said if we want to stay alive"

"Exaggerating" 

"No Sam he was passing on information, for us to listen to, you go, I'll be right here waiting for you, and then we'll leave" 

"I'm more scared for leaving you here than having you with me"

"Go, get set up, I'll be there when I'm dressed" she smiled tiptoeing up to kiss his lips "Go on, it nearly 6pm" 

"You'll come?"

"I will" 

Sam stood strumming his guitar, watching the time and wondering where Mercy was, it had been an hour, he had twenty minutes to the show and she was messing with his damn head.

"Ready?" the stage director asked him

"A second" he walked off stage pulled his phone out and calling Mercy "Babe" he gasped in relief when she answered "You got me thinking all sorts here, where are you?"

"Will called just after you left, he said I shouldn't go, didn't he tell you?"

"I haven't seen the illusive Will since I got here, which tells me he knew about this shit"

"You didn't tell him you were bringing me though, did you?"

"I shouldn't have to"

"True, but babe, you're on stage now, I'm waiting for you"

"This is for you" he dropped his phone in his pocket, with her still on the line, he was mad as hell when he walked out onto the stage, the band started playing and he stood singing **"As Long As You Care' by Ruel**

**_I'm sun-dried, my lips are high on over drive, I'm so tired, I'm sorry if I'm low on confidence, I left at midnight_ **   
**_I'm sorry but my brain is fried, I haven't seen your face in miles and miles, always on a different continent_ **   
**_Don't forget me now, or ever, cause I know, I know_ **   
**_As long as you care, you have no idea, it's all bright lights and red eyes, bright lights and red eyes_ **   
**_I'm never there, but as long as you're here, I'm all bright lights and red eyes, bright lights and red eyes..._ **

"The one person in the world I needed to be here tonight can't be, and that's because of you" he looked out at the crowd, dropped the mic and left, his heart wouldn't let him go through with this. If the world saw him do that, he really didn't care, what they needed to see, in contrast to their privilege, was his wife, sat in a motel room crying her heart out because she couldn't support her husband

He jumped in a cab that stopped as soon as he put his hand out, smiled at the irony before getting in it, all that mattered right now was getting back to his wife, the wheels barely stopped turning before he threw the money at the driver and jumped out the cab, he got to the door and stood taking a breath, pushing it open he saw her sat on the stool crying "That was the worst feeling in the world" he rushed over and hugged her "Sorry really isn't enough"

"What are you sorry for?" she wiped her wet face 

"For all of it, how they treated you, having to leave you tonight, for just being so damn colour blind"

"That's a good thing isn't it?"

"Not when it puts us in situations like this" he looked around the room 

"Can we go home now?" she hugged him back asking

"I don't know about home, but we're getting out of here" he grabbed her chin "I understand what you mean"

"What?"

"The Black Lives Matter campaign" he smiled "All lived matter, don't get me wrong, but that needs to include black lives, everyone should be equal shouldn't they?"

"They should" she smiled at him "I'm happy you learned from this"

"And I hate that I've been forced to see colour as difference"


	6. Old Dog

**Old Dog**

**Mercy**

"What does it say?" Tina and Kurt stood asking excited for the prospect of Mercy finally fulfilling her dream by getting a contract from Mo-Town Records

"Give me a chance" she stood holding the envelop

She'd been in fantasy love with Sam all through her junior years, he hadn't shown any interest, she was one of those girls that felt comfortable under the radar and he seemed to crave the lime light, different veg, as her Dad used to call it. They'd pretty much existed as fake husband and wife in her mind, she'd argued with him about cheating every time he got a new girlfriend, encouraged him when he had a game and even washed his socks once accidently on purpose. It was near the end of their senior year when the universe got itself together and threw them into a production of Romeo & Juliet together, she'd hoped for them to have at least a word exchange, maybe even a sentence, and was totally in her end game zone when by the end of the performance they were what many might call friends.

They went off to UCLA separately but together, amazingly they both worked at keeping the friendship alive for a while, then one day just four weeks before the end of their first year he spoke "Mercedes" he called after her, following one of their stroke my ego conversations she often gave him

"Sam?" she turned expected some impression of yet another version of the president

"I was wondering if you'd like to make our little chats more official?"

"As in?" she looked at him puzzled "You want me to write your damn assignments?"

"No" he laughed "I thought maybe we could go on a date, see where that leads"

"A date?" she gasped "Sure" she giggled unable to keep the excitement in

"The Bowl, maybe around 5pm?"

"It's a date" she smiled, turning to walk off very pleased with herself, she didn't know how she'd done it but she'd managed to bag one of the hottest guys in college. They went on that date, and a few more and next thing she knew, they were a couple.

They'd sailed through their classes, everything seemed to have been made that much easier with their relationship being part friendship, they moved smoothly through the many stages of their relationship, so by the time they were in their final year, they were happy that sacrifices needed to be made, that they were willing to make them, and meet each other on the other side with their relationship in tact. Now the time was here, they needed to put everything they'd learned on the table, Mercy had got her name known out there in her last year, got herself an agent, the woman had claimed to be working tooth and nail to get her a contract for six dry months straight, but today was the day, she stood holding the envelop she'd given her with hopefully a recording contract in it.

"Mercy" Tina hissed "Just do it"

"I will just..." she slapped Kurt's hand off the letter "I hope this is the one I really want"

"It's yours diva, just will it" Kurt told her grabbing her hand

"Maybe I should wait for Sam" she looked down the corridor 

"He said... just do it" Tina snapped

"Okay" she smiled, ripping the envelop open to read the letter "It's..." she read it again "It's...I'm signing up with Mo-Town Records, they said yes" she screamed hugging her friends

"You'll be near home" Tina screamed just as happy, grabbing Kurt to join in the madness

"Where are you going?" she looked at Kurt ripping his envelop 

"I've got a call back for Minx" he smiled "Miss T?" they both looked at Tina when they all finished jumping around

"I got the part at that show at the Lincoln Centre, it was my second choice but it will do, for starting my career" she waved the paper around jumping again

"I got to..." Tina looked at them 

"Me too" Kurt waves his results 

"Yeah, I've got to find Sam too" they broke away to go find their other halves "I'll catch you guys later" she walked away excited to let him know, they were meeting in the music room 

**Sam**

"So" Mike stood waiting for the answer, Blaine stood next to him, just as nervous as Sam

"I wished I'd have opened it with Mercy now" Sam told them

He'd known Mercy from school, they basically went through the whole thing together, it wasn't that he hadn't noticed her, he had several times, but there was always something going on for him that stopped him talking to her. His first girlfriend had said something about the quiet one's being the worst, which he'd mentioned to his Mom and she'd confirmed there was some truth in it, she went on to wrap that story around serial killers and the like, so of course he stayed clear. The one year he actually did a play with her, he realised she was so cool, helping him with his lines, encouraging him to be good at what he'd signed up for, and even helped him with his application for college, and for the life of him he couldn't see anything bad in her.

A conversation with his new friends at college, Blaine and Mike, sort of changed his whole aspect on life, hearing their stories about how they hooked up with their partners sort of gave him some hope "Tina was so weird when we met, she was something else every week, I didn't know who to expect when she came through the door for class, but then one day I realised I liked her for being different and having the guts to live it" Mike told him "She wasn't or should I say isn't scary at all" he laughed 

"People's differences are what draw you to them, don't miss out on a life because of what others say, just do your thing" Blaine told him 

"Thanks guys" he smiled, walking a bit taller 

"Who is this girl anyway?" Blaine asked laughing 

"You'll see" he braved it and asked her out that same day, now, two years on, they were inseparable 

"Sam" Mike called for his attention 

"You promised she could open it with her friends" Blaine told him

"I know, but I don't know whether to be happy or sad when I find out now"

"Come on dude, she'd want what you want, you know that, and if it doesn't work out, plenty more fish and all that" Mike told him

"So you and Tina are splitting up?" Sam looked at him concerned

"I don't know, we haven't talked about it, but if she takes the contract with Memphis and I'm at Stanford it's not going to work, is it?" Mike told him waving his results 

"We're not splitting up" Sam told him "Mercy and I are forever"

"We're not either" Blaine told them "I go where Kurt goes"

"You know that" Sam laughed knocking fists with Blaine "Here goes" he opened the envelop

"What does it say?" Mike asked

"They offered me a six month contract at Come Country in Texas" he laughed, country music was his first love "Blaine?" 

"I'm going to where ever Kurt's going I don't even need to open this" he waved his envelop 

"Come on Dude" Mike rushed him on eager to open his envelop 

"Okay" he laughed "I.." he stood reading "I got the part" he giggled with disbelief "I got the part" he looked at his friends tearful 

Mike was already ripping his open "Tina is going to go mad" he stepped back "She is going to be so damn sick of me" he held his letter up "Lincoln" he waved it 

"Guys, I got to go find Mercy" he hugged them and went to the music room, they had places to be too

**Sam & Mercy**

"Hi" he pushed the door open to their usual meeting place, the old disused music room near the old library, they'd found it that first year, she was perched on one of the old desks looking at her letter 

"Hi" she looked up smiling at him "Mo-Town" she held the letter up for him to see

"Come Country" he held his up

"Shit" she hissed, knowing this was going to be an argument "Are you happy about it?"

"It's what I want, but if you're staying in Cali..."

"It's a six month contact Sam, we can do this" she rolled her eyes and got up ready for the fight 

"We agreed we wouldn't have to do anything if we didn't want to, you need to do the album, I'll stay"

"Stop with the fucking pressure" she stepped towards him "Nothing will stop us being who we want to be, remember?"

"Yeah but..."

"No but's Sam" she walked past him and out the room

He stood watching her walk out, they were as bad as each other on stuff like this, both wanting to please the other, pretending it wasn't affecting their relationship, he knew she was mad because she desperately wanted to ask him not to go, but their promise wouldn't allow her to ask. He thought offering would solve all their problems and stop this silent argument they were about to have, he got up to follow her before she burst out crying in the corridor, for all he knew she was already there.

They'd had this conversation once already, it was just last year when he actually had the opportunity to go to Dallas for a recording contract, he was ready to give up on college and get on with his life, but she put forward a very good argument telling him she didn't want him to marginalise himself like that, she went in on him so hard he ended up staying in college. She'd finally won that one on the premise that the next one was his, they didn't know it was actually going to be this one, the big one, but nevertheless, this was it.

"Mercy" he saw her walking quickly down the corridor and stepped off after her "You're just mad because it's my turn to win" he whispered when he got to her 

"You're making a mistake Sam" she stopped to tell him, he could tell in her eyes she believed what she was telling him "Let me win this one, please" she begged "It's six months"

"You know me babe, six months is too long" he wasn't even sure he was fighting that face right now 

"We're talking about the rest of your life here Sam" she huffed "Please just do the six months, I'll come down at least twice"

"You want me to go that much?"

"I want you to be the best you can be" she stood in front of him resting her hand on his chest "And I can't be what I want to be, if I leave you behind"

"At least twice?" he looked down at her with mixed feelings

"At least" she agreed

"And you won't be messing with anyone else?"

"Sam" she grinned 

"Okay" he held his hands up, feeling stupid for asking the question "How can I say no to that damn face you put on" he laughed "I'll go" he smiled "For us I'll go" he hugged her

"Thank you" she looked up at him, kissing his lips "See that wasn't that hard was it?"

"You've got some new tricks" he laughed

"You implying I'm an old dog?" she slapped his chest laughing

"Remember our first song together?" he smiled at the memory

"Not really we've sung so many"

"You're such a fibber" he laughed "You told me you'd remember it forever"

"So why ask if I remember?" 

"Because it fits, right here, right now, it fits" he smiled bursting into song 

_**Sam:** I know that every things changing but don't hide away from life, your not falling apart your just shaping, growing wings like a butterfly, _

_**Sam & Mercy:** Spending days, getting by, feeling lost, in the tide, don't pretend that you'll find that my love make it right, _

_Darling come rest your head on my shoulder, while we wait for the stars to align if we fall least we're falling together,_

_**Sam:** Cause your hand is safe in mine. _

_**Sam & Mercy:** We can walk, we can walk on the wire, if we both put it all on the line, if your sacred then I'll hold a bit tighter, _

_**Sam:** Cause your hand is safe in mine, yeah your hand is safe in mine...._

They didn't notice anyone else come into the room until their friends voices sang out to them

_**All:** Oh oh, oh, oh, oh, _

_**Mercy:** Darling come rest your head on my shoulder, while we wait for the stars to align, if we fall least we're falling together, cause your hand is safe in mine. _

_**All:** We can walk, we can walk on the wire, if we both put it all on the line, if your sacred then I'll hold a bit tighter, _

_**Mercy:** Cause your hand is safe in mine, **Sam:** Yeah your hand is safe in mine_ **Your Hand Is Safe In Mine' by Blush**

"We can do this" he smiled swinging his arm across her shoulder, hers attaching to his waist as they watched their friends coming towards them

"You're going?" Mike knocked fists with him, happy

"I'm going" he nodded 

"You?" Kurt asked Mercy 

"I'm doing my thing too" she smiled 

"This is it, we need to promise to come back here in a year, catch up, because this next year is going to be the bomb" Mike laughed 

"Best friends ever" Kurt smiled "Group hug" 


	7. Apart-ment

**Apart - ment**

"Sis, you need to come home, as quick as you can" Unique's voice soft on the phone, trying to hold it down for her sister

"What's happened?" Mercy asked

"You just need to get home" she told her before the line went dead

Mercy sat wondering what could have possibly happened now, she really was fed up of being used as the local bank by her family, it was like she got her big break and they lost their hands and feet and couldn't do a stitch of work anymore. She'd already bailed her sister's hair and nail salon business out of a hole this year, after their Mother made her feel like shit for not willingly throwing 45K at some godforsaken dump she wanted to set up in, when the last location didn't work for her. She was willing herself not to go, but her hands were packing a bag, she failed miserably to talk herself out of it, by the time she'd finally said no to herself, she was on the flight home.

She lived in California now, she'd left home with her small case attached, jumped on the red eye, determined she wasn't coming back unless she'd made it, it took three years of bars, strip clubs, back singing and a few choice bed swops, but she'd finally made it. She'd been noticed by D'Mill; a dreadlocked, serious looking brother that didn't stand for shit, he saw something in her and, patiently waited for her to get it all out before her album was put together and suddenly she was on the radio, in a music video and then performing at the BET Awards and it took off from there. It was about that second the family got in touch again and she'd been their meal ticket for the past three years, now she was just plain fed up of it

She got off the plane and looked around tired old Lima, it had been a while, she didn't go back home for fun, there was no fun left there, she had to buy the food, cook it, washed all the dishes, everything she used to do when she was Cedes Monica Jones back then. She wondered sometime how they knew it was her singing, she'd never heard them call her Mercedes, let alone Mercy, just Cedes as in Cinderella, she vowed that was the reasoning behind that messy shit. "Deep breath" she huffed stepping off to find herself a cab

The drive was pleasant enough, they came out of the busy town and down the familiar lane, leaving the sound of traffic and talking for the sounds of crickets and birds talking to each other giving that country calm you can only get from a place like that. Then the familiar sounds of dogs barking, people shouting and waving she was nearing home and everyone already knew Cedes, the moneybags, was in the house, she waved and shouted back, she wasn't about to disrespect her family in that way, her Mom wouldn't live it down 

She got to the house and stood watching it, all lit up like a damn Christmas tree with the money she was paying, "Sis" Unique came out smiling with her arms open "You're here" she stated the obvious

"Hi" Mercy smiled, watching Unique fly down the front steps, for a hug, she froze, trying to reserve judgement until they came out with the money shit "What's the urgency?"

"Mom wants to see you"

"So she couldn't call me herself?"

"Not really" she took the small bag off her "We need to..." she wondered off without finishing the sentence, dropping the bags just inside the door and spinning round to Mercy again

"Where are we going?" she spun round fast at her sister grabbing her arm

"To see Mom, we don't have much time"

"What's going on, where's Mom?" she asked looking back at the house, it wasn't very often their Mom left the house, church mainly and it wasn't Sunday, and with it being nearly 5pm, that just wasn't heard of 

"She's in hospital"

"What's wrong with her?" she rolled her eyes, the look on Unique's face telling her they needed the hospital bill paying, she was mad as hell, the rest of the journey took place in silence

They got to the hospital and everyone was calling Unique by name while she introduced her long lost sister to them, as they walked through "What's wrong with my Mom?" she asked deaf ears

"She's determined not to close her eyes until she seen you" Unique finally stooped at a door to tell her, seconds before pushing it open

"What?" Mercy didn't know if she was angry at her sister or shocked at seeing her Mom laying there half the size of the woman she knew "What happened?" she looked from Unique back to her Mother "What's happened?" she shouted louder almost angry 

"Mom's been sick for a while, she didn't want you contacted, didn't want you stressing, but the doctors advised her to say what she needed to say, and she asked for you" Unique touched her Mothers hand and smiled when she woke up

"And this is how you chose to tell me?" Mercy snapped at her

"Mommy, Cedes is here" Unique kissed her Mom's cheek, choosing to ignore Mercy's question, smiling at her mother's eyes lighting up at the sight of her older daughter

"Mom" Mercy couldn't help it she grabbed her mother's hand and cried until she was ready to stop, her Mom patting her head for comfort

"I didn't want to worry you" she told her daughter "I'm glad you're here" she smiled when Mercy looked up at her "And we've spent money getting second and third opinions so don't start all that" she laughed, her voice sounding like pain as she answered all Mercy's questions in those few words 

"You know I'd have been here if you'd have told me"

"I know sweet" she closed her eyes for a second, Mercy hurting at the pain in her face "Listen" she squeezed her hand "I know you always thought I didn't love you, but I do, maybe a bit too much, and I treated you different because I didn't want it to show, you know how Unique is" she giggled coughing

"Relax Mom" Mercy patted her back

"I'm fine, I have to get this out" she squeezed her hand again "And I know you've always hated the name Cedes, but it was what I called my Grandma, I loved her with all my heart, and you were so much like her I couldn't resist" she squeezed her hand again, Mercy soon realised it was her way of hugging her "I want you to know how proud you make me, all of us, doing what you do and I didn't want to leave this place without telling you that" she closed her eyes and took a deep breath "You were always destined for bigger things Mercedes, Cedes, Mercy Jones, you've evolved just like your namesake"

"I love you Mommy" she cried, wishing her Mom had told her that years ago, their relationship would have been so different

"And I love you child" she smiled "Now tell your sister to come in before she gets mean" she coughed worryingly 

"Unique" she popped her head around the door to call her sister "Mom's.." both of them rushed to her bed, the coughing was getting worse "Call a nurse" she told her sister 

Unique came back in with a nurse, she just rubbed her back until the episode was over "Can't you give her anything" Unique asked frustrated 

"Sorry you're Mother signed today to say she didn't want anything else"

"What?" Mercy asked shocked 

"She really was waiting on her daughter to arrive, she's given her instructions, I'm sorry" 

"You wait till our Dad gets here" Unique threatened. They sat gasping for air as their Dad told them of their Mother's wishes, a few hours later all three sat watching as their matriarch took her last breath

Mercy couldn't cope she got outside the hospital and screamed, it was all too much, to have finally found out on the day the woman actually died, that your Mother loved you, and then for her to leave before you could right any wrongs was excruciating. She didn't know what Unique and her Dad was doing right now, but she knew being with them right now wasn't the answer for her, she took her phone out, called Sam, and cried down the phone to him telling him what had happened "Give me a couple of hours" he told her ready to get on a flight

**Back story**

It had been a bumpy ride to where they were now, there was a lot of things Sam and Mercy had to let go of, most of them weren't things that meant anything to them, but more recently they'd felt at odds in a relationship they feared had turned into a friendship, somewhere along the line. It had been through no fault of theirs really, something had been lost, They had finally sat down just over two months ago and decided that a break might be the answer, they'd moved things around to do this, but it was proving to be the hardest thing for either of them to do, every day was a new start date, then Sam's hand was finally forced when Mercy took a show in Belgium which was running for a month.

They'd agreed it was a break, but it felt like a break up when she started sending things off to storage, putting their apartment up for rent and ordering new phones "We are just having a break?" he asked watching her set up her new phone

"I'm keeping my phone, I've just got everything us on it, and I don't want to be tempted"

"And you're sure that's all this is?"

"It's temporary Sam"

"Three months with absolutely no contact, unfollow on social media, everything?" 

"Everything, no matter what" 

"But no sleeping around,, we agree on that?"

"We're married Sam, in a very closed relationship" she giggled grabbing his chin to make him look at her "I'll kill you, I swear"

"Not if I kill you first" he laughed 

That evening they got dressed kissed and parted company, Mercy had asked for it, but she was crying well before he left, he leaned on the closed door listening to her, tears rolling down his face, they hadn't been ready for the massive hole this was leaving in their lives "Okay" he braced himself, set his calendar to alarm on the last day and went off to do his own thing. He'd got a couple of shows coming up, the band had decided they wanted to present some new material and as the lead singer they had him over a barrel in regards to attendance, he tapped his guitar and threw it in the back of his pick up, ready to find ways to fill his life for three months 

**End of Back Story**

"No" she snapped "We agreed three months please don't" she begged him "I don't want to start this all over again, it's hard enough as it is"

"She's my Mother too Mercy"

"Sam please, we promised this, we can come back on the first day, do something together"

"You need me Mercy"

"I've got Unique and Dad" 

"So, I need you, My Mom just passed" his voice broke "Sorry" he pulled himself together 

"Sam" her heart breaking for him and herself "I wished I could hug you right now"

"Me too" he sniffed "I love you Mercy"

"I love you too" she wiped the tears he'd caused "But I really don't want to start this thing over"

"Okay, if you're sure?"

"Yeah I'm sure, I just needed to hear your voice" they talked for a while longer before closing the call

She got off the phone and broke her heart, she'd said everything against what she wanted, of course she wanted him there, needed him even, but they'd given up so much to get this time as it was, she was telling the truth when she said she couldn't do it again. Maybe what she'd learned from all this was that relationships evolve, it was never going to be all about having sex four times a day, ripping each others clothes off at the front door, or not being able to think about anything except sex when he was near. Just maybe it was about being there for times like these, for hugs, wiping tears and helping with pain

"Cedes" her Dad's voice invaded her thoughts "We were worried" he reached for her, she turned and broke down again in his arms "She had a good life, and she loved you girls" he told her rubbing her back

The news had already reached the masses by the time they got back to the house, she sat for the rest of the evening rolling her eyes at the expectations of these people, they only saw the dollar signs they weren't even interested in how it got there, just that it never stopped flowing. Eventually her Dad got fed up of it and announced that they wanted just family around the night before the funeral, throwing tradition out the window to the relief of Unique and Mercy 

The day of the funeral came just four days after their Mother had passed they were putting her in the ground to rest, the family had grown some with cousins and their children, the blessing was actually getting the funeral done to save them some money. Everyone stood in the living room, dressed in Black and white "Ready?" their Dad smile grabbing their shaking hands "It will be fine"

"I don't think I can do the song" Mercy gripped his hand telling him 

"We can skip it if we need to, but your Mom requested it" he brushed his hand against her cheek telling her "Come on" they were out onto the front steps to wait, the hearse was due to turn up any minute.

When a cab pulled up everyone stood watching waiting to see who was arriving now "Sam" Mercy gasped running down the steps and into is arms, past happy to see him

"I had to be here, she's my Mom, plus I've had enough time apart" he whispered in her ear 

"Me too" they stood hugging, Mercy watching the hearse arrive 

"Just in time" he let go of her to go see the rest of his family 

"I needed you here today" his Dad smiled hugging him "I couldn't deal with two of them" he wiped his eyes, Sam smiled, he'd made the right call. They got in the cars and made the quiet journey to the church to be met by hundreds of people, every one of their lives had been touched by this woman they simply knew as Mom, the men holding the women up as they following the coffin into the church. Unique had been tasked with reading the Eulogy, kept the congregation laughing while giving them an incite into the Margaret they all knew a piece of and loved, she looked at Mercy, she was coming to the end and needed to know if she was introducing her to sing or not 

"Rest in Peace Mom" she looked up smiling "And now Cedes is going to sing Mom's favourite song, it was the song Cedes sung for her very first recital and Mom's loved it ever since, even brought the record, so you know how impressed she was" she made everyone laugh 

"I can't" she grabbed Sam's hand 

"Come on, we'll do it together" hen squeezed her hand and pulled her up "This is ' **Life'** originally by **Des'ree** " he laughed "But today it's by Mercy Jones" he looked at the musicians nodding them to start. The intro started and he looked at Mercy to start singing, she didn't, the band went round again and made the second musical intro, Sam smiled at her, the look on his face making her giggle and just like that she was ready to sing 

_Mmm, yeah yeah yeah, oh yeah, yeah yeah, oh life, oh life_   
_I'm afraid of the dark, especially when I'm in a park, and there's no one else around, ooh, I get the shivers_   
_I don't want to see a ghost, it's a sight that I fear most, I'd rather have a piece of toast, and watch the evening news_   
_Life, oh life, oh life, oh life, doo, doo doo doo, life, oh life, oh life, oh life, Doo, doo doo doo_

_I'm a superstitious girl, I'm the worst in the world, never walk under ladders, I keep a rabbit's tail_   
_I'll take you up on a dare, anytime, anywhere, name the place, I'll be there, bungee jumping, I don't care_   
_Life, oh life, oh life, oh life, doo, doo doo doo, life, oh life, oh life, oh life, doo, doo doo, life, doo, doo doo, doo, doo doo..._

She broke then, she'd gone as far as she could without the the floodgates opening, she fell into Sam's arms and cried while the congregation carried on with the song. She'd dreamt her path back then as a 10 year old and only now was she realising her Mother was as fierce about her dream as she was, the singing lessons, letting her go to discover herself, and the chest full of magazine cutting and CD's that she'd secretly kept, cataloguing all her efforts 

_So after all is said and done, I know I'm not the only one, life indeed can be fun, if you really want to_   
_Sometimes living out your dreams, ain't as easy as it seems, you wanna fly around the world, in a beautiful balloon_   
_Life, oh life, oh life, oh life, doo, doo doo doo, life, oh life, oh life, oh life, doo, doo doo doo_   
_Oh life, oh life, oh life, oh life, oh life, oh life, oh life, oh life_

After that upset the day went well, everything had settled down and most people had left, by 10pm Sam and Mercy were sat in the hammock on the back porch looking out at the night sky, taking in their first chance at being alone "Do you think we should book into a hotel?" she asked 

"For?" he looked down at her 

"I know that sounded bad didn't it, I've just buried my Mom"

"No" he sat up looking at her "It was the second thing I thought when I saw you" he giggled

"What was the first?" 

"I'm not going anywhere again, I don't want apart" 

"That's what you said, not what you thought" she laughed 

"Okay, the first one was fuck I need in" he laughed "Then I thought we need a room, here isn't going to rock it for me tonight" 

"You booked it didn't you?" 

"No" he laughed "Honest I haven't" 

"I did a short while ago, come on" she jumped up laughing 


	8. New Start

**New Start**

"This is it" she pointed at the stereo in the car

"But I thought that second one was alright" Sam laughed

"But I think this one's the best one, please just listen to it"

"Okay" he focused on the road ahead of them while the third song blasted out

"I admit, that might be the best one" he laughed when it finished

"I knew it" She slammed the dashboard "That's going to be my first ever hit song"

"Undisputed" he laughed "I'm glad we decided to go on this road trip, what do you think our parents are thinking right now?"

"That we're not at home" she laughed "It's just great to be free, on the open road just driving"

"Yea, listening to you sing, those tracks are the shit" he shouted putting his foot down on the gas

They'd struck up a relationship just three weeks ago, against their parents wishes, for those devout religious folk, nothing and no one was ever going to be right. To make thing even more complicated than they were already Mercy's parents were from a holy spirited, hand clapping, god fearing Pentecostal church where not only their souls, but the souls of the entire family, had to be clean enough to partake of communion every month. Sam's family were of the very strict Mormon faith everyone in the household was expected to live like the original Latter Day Saint, so naturally the two really didn't mix in their parents eyes.

But just like age, gender, colour of your eyes and foot size, religion really didn't matter to these two souls that had found each other, to them it was all about love, of course they knew that behind all that strict talking they'd had to endure, there was common old racism on both sides, neither family wanted the blood mix, and that was what the resistance was all about in reality. They'd already had the different to us conversations, been told of the disappointment should things ever happen between them, it felt like the two families were reading out of the same book of life, and all they were back then were friends. 

Of course as everyone knows, when your forbidden anything, your level of curiosity and determination rises, so although it might not have been in their minds before, three weeks ago they sat talking about, their common subject; domineering parents, Sam cried and they ended up kissing. The first time was a peck, the second came quickly afterwards and before they knew it they were falling back on the back lawn of the church eating at each others lips, they came out giggling

"That's it, you'll have to be my girl now" he smiled letting her sit up 

"Do you really think that's going to be possible?"

"It's going to have to be, because you are" he pushed her back onto the lawn taking her lips again "At eighteen, I really should know what to do next" he laughed 

"As a Mormon, it's only right that you don't" she giggled "I think we need to form our own religion"

"We'll call it Samcedes" he laughed "The perfect mix" 

Now it seemed both families were about to learn that above all the other rights they were trying to take away from them, they were learning about their free will, and at nearly 19 years of age they were planning on exercising it. They had a plan, but they needed to wait until Sam's birthday, because he knew he was getting a car, and that was going to be their escape transport. She'd got another financial top up for her birthday, and it was all adding to their get out of hell fund, his birthday came and they hadn't even given the keys to the convertible 4X4 time to land in his hand, he'd just about said his thank you and took it out for spin. 

He'd put his clothes in Mercy's back yard from the night before, so when he pulled up around the corner, all he had to do was call her, right on time she came running round with their luggage, she jumped in the car and they were gone, they sat laughing at his parents stood waiting for him to get round the block.

They'd cleaned out their bank accounts and put it all in a new one, brought new sim cards for their phones and took all the ID they could find with them, they had plans that begun with Los Angeles. Mercy wanted to be a R&B singers, she'd only ever had that dream, while Sam was hoping to try his hand at acting, and if that didn't work he was good with instruments, life was going to be good. They'd been driving down the highway for three hours, the lively chatter had stopped, the music humming along with the engine making Mercy's eyes close, as the air swept her hair off her face, the night drawing in brought a chill, so they stopped to put the hood up and grab something to eat

"It's getting dark" Mercy looked out the café window at the lights flickering in the car park "Do you think we should find somewhere to stay for the night?" 

"No" he grabbed her hand "My parents will be on the road already we need to keep going"

"What if they find us?" she stopped eating to ask

"We'll be in LA tomorrow and it's too big, we can really get lost once we're there" he laughed grabbing a strawberry off her plate "Should have been quicker" he giggled at the face she gave him

"You sure" she quickly put the last one in her mouth 

"Positive, come on, let's carry on" he wiped his mouth and got up to leave "Is it me or are there eyes on us?" he asked

"Definitely eyes" she got up and grabbed the hand he was holding out just to piss off the eyes watching them, she giggled with not a care, they were up for changing the world, if they needed to

They fuelled up, brought snacks and set about the rest of their journey, the night drew in fast and soon the once busy highway was exchanged for a quiet country lane "This is creepy" she looked around at the grass lines road with nothing to see but trees and grass with the odd shack dotted here and there "Are you sure we're going the right way?"

"I've been studying this route for nearly a week, it's the right way" he looked at her for a second "We're lucky, there are some lights along here"

"Don't say that" she giggled, thinking that could be the worst thing that could ever happen right now

"Look up ahead" he nodded for her to look

"Shit" she gasped looking ahead "There are no lights up there, are you alright to drive through that?"

"I'm fine" he grabbed the wheel tighter, he had no idea if he could, he'd passed his test, but his Dad's car had never gone out at night with him driving, he was in strange territory. It seemed like just seconds after Mercy had said it, the grass seemed to close in, it felt like they were brushing the strands as they drove, Mercy couldn't take her eye off the road, waiting for the crash, while Sam was trying to keep focused on the centre of the road "I think I need to stop" he finally said after the third jump of his stomach

"Yeah" she quickly agreed, they were on maybe 5 miles an hour right now "There's a gate" she pointed at the rusty gate a few steps away from the car "Maybe we could just park in there"

"Yeah" he quickly pulled in "I need to get through the gate the backs sticking out" he jumped out the car to force open the rusty gate over the overgrown grass, before driving the car in, turning it around, with great difficulty and facing it back out onto the road for a quick get away if needed "We'll be safe here until daylight" he turned the engine off

"This is someone's property, you know that, right?" she giggled settling in

"I know that" he giggled putting his arm around her 

"We have a whole night to get through, what are we going to do?" he shone the torch on his phone on her body, letting her know what was on his mind

"I think we should hit the back seat and celebrate" she laughed

"Mind reader" he laughed "But I can't leave this on" he looked at the torch "We need it for directions, and I can't leave the car running" 

"Do you think there are any animals around?" she looked out the window 

"No" he laughed "They'd all be locked away by now"

"So do you want to go alfresco?" she pushed the door open 

"No" he pulled the door shut "What about rats and insects"

"You're such a baby"

"I'm a baby?" he laughed "If you saw even a little spider right now, you'd be stuck to my lap for the rest of the night"

"So you don't want me stuck to your lap?" she gave him the eyes he knew well 

"So now talk of spiders turn you on" he laughed "You're too random for me" 

"Why am I random?"

"I like your random, I want to christen the car" he smiled 

"Now who'd being random" she climbed across him, and switched the radio on, finding her song "Let's see if we can make this one my first hit for real" she giggled flicking the repeat button, looking into his eyes as she sang to him **_"We got something going, baby I'm open, ready for exploring right now. s_** ** _o put your bag down,_** ** _I know you had a long day, let me show you I appreciate._** ** _Love how you do me, love how your loves running through me_ , feeling it all in my veins, oh how your drug gives me comfort, over and over again, over and over again.. **

he sat listening to her as she rubbed her hands around his lips and down his chest "Come here" he finally pulled her to him. The brown leather seats were in for a damn treat tonight, there were few things better than sex for any young blooded 19 year old, he'd never have dreamt this girls voice to be one of them, but it was. He covered her lips with his, his hands searching for her skin as he pulled at her top dragging it out of the skirt she had on "I'm going to take you so fucking high" he laughed huskily

 ** _"Take me straight to the top baby, I don't want to come down, you know only you know how to make my river flow"_** she squealed at the feel of his teeth gently rubbing on her nipple, before he sucked it in, and flicked his tongue all over it 

"I love you, Mercy" his mouth let go of her nipple for a second 

"I love you back Sam" she gasped puling his head back to her nipple "Make love to me" 

"We need to get into a better position, this is crippling" he looked at her "Let me get the seats sorted" he pressed a button and watched his seat slide back "Ready for business" he smiled grabbing her lips again _**"I just want to take you higher, higher, tonight .."**_

"You caught my flow" she smiled at him singing her song

"I've always got your flow Babe" he nuzzled into her again, their every intention to make the night theirs **'Higher'** **by Noell**

When they woke up the sun was shining in through the misty windows "Mercy" he nudged her "Wake up, we need to get out of here" he smiled as she sat up wondering where she was "Get dressed" he passed her top and opened the door for her to step out "We need to get out of here before the cattle find us" he laughed getting out himself 

"Sam" she grabbed his arm "Last night was..."

"I know" he turned to look at her 

"What do you know?" she grabbed her underwear off the back seat

"That was a good combination making love and hearing you sing" he grabbed her with his left arm, pulling her under his arm enough to rest her head on his chest "I'm still in that zone" he giggled

"It's called chemistry Sam and that's true" she laughed "But, I was going to say liberating, no one to answer to, nowhere to be, it was a nice way to kick off our new start"

"We're really doing this" he laughed "Get in" he looked around

"That's if the parents don't catch us first" she jumped in, and buckled up 

"They won't" he laughed, putting his seat belt on before turning on the ignition to carry on their journey 

"Sam" she pushed her hair off her face 

"Bathroom, I know" 


End file.
